The natural structure of the human spine in the thoracic area is generally curved posteriorly. Many normal daily activities which a person undertakes can induce an over-extension of muscles in the back due to the curved nature of the spine. Everyday activities such as sitting, typing, driving, or sleeping can cause this tension to occur, particularly if the posture is improper. The over-extension of the muscles can affect the upper and middle back, shoulders, and neck and may cause headaches in some individuals.
Some activities have been shown to assist in the reduction of muscle stress induced by daily living. Such activities include swimming, gymnastics, yoga, and some aerobic exersises. These activities provide for some balance of the stress in the shoulder, back, and neck areas and relieve musculo-skeletal tension. However, many individuals fail to participate in these "balancing" activities or cannot find the time to participate in these activities to enough degree to balance all of the musculo-skeletal tension which builds from daily activities. Hence, a device or activity is needed which will alleviate certain types of musculo-skeletal tension and that can be conducted quickly and efficiently for persons whose daily schedules do not permit them to participate in other types of athletic activities.
There are currently a number of devices that assist in alleviating certain types of musculo-skeletal tension . The U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,736,735; 4,583,731; 4,352,491; and 3,881,469 show various types of the therapeutic tables designed to relieved tension within certain areas of the back. The primary disadvantage of these devices is that they are bulky and expensive so that they are generally restricted to use in clinics and hospitals and are not practical for home use. Additionally, these devices are used for general areas or for exercise, not for specific points within the shoulders, neck, and back. The U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,520,798 and 4,210,134 show two smaller devices but these devices address only general areas of the back or neck area for relieving stress and are not efficient because the devices do not provide enough pressure on specific points of the back or neck. The U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,672,360 and 2,343,204 show simple devices for relieving stress along the entire length of the back; however, these devices fail to provide specific tension relief within the neck and shoulder regions of the back. The U.S. Pat. No. 1,265,083 shows a device that does provide for tension relief within specific points of the neck and shoulders. The primary disadvantage of this device is that both pins directed toward the neck extend at the same height and the two levers pivot together. This arrangement places twice the pressure than required on the shoulders and neck if the pain is concentrated in one specific area on the neck or within only one of the shoulders. This device also fails to relieve tension within the back and rhomboid muscles.
The present invention improves upon all of the devices previously patented by relieving tension along the upper and middle back, between the shoulders, above the shoulders, and at specific areas of the body such as the neck and sole of the foot. The present invention also is simple in design and is easily used within the home or office.